Folding chair

ABSTRACT

A folding chair includes a base frame having front and rear portions rotatably coupled to each other for relative movement between opened and collapsed conditions. The frame members of the front and rear portions of the base frame respectively define front and rear legs providing standing support for the chair in the opened condition. The base frame includes first and second mounts respectively disposed at terminal ends of first and second frame members of the base frame rear portion. Each mount includes a wall adapted to nestingly receive the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the opened condition. Each mount defines an opening at the connection location to accommodate a terminal end of the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the collapsed condition.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention is related to and claims priority from U.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/253,845, filed Feb. 14, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to folding chairs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One type of folding chair includes a leg assembly that collapses upon itself when a seat and back of the chair are moved towards each other. In a typical construction, a U-shaped member defines the front legs and a portion of the back of the chair.

In another type of folding chair, more than one movement is required to collapse the chair from the opened condition. U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,383 (Jones), for example, discloses a folding chair frame including a base portion having front and rear leg members rotatably connected to a seat member of the base frame for relative movement therebetween and a back portion rotatably connected to the base portion for independent movement of the back frame. The base portion of the chair frame includes hinge means for rotatably connecting the leg members to the seat member. The hinge means includes pins received in aligned openings in the seat member and in spaced tabs provided at terminal ends of the leg members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, a folding chair comprises a base frame having front and rear portions rotatably coupled to each other. The front portion includes first and second frame members each defining a front leg. The rear portion includes first and second frame members each defining a rear leg. The front and rear legs are adapted to provide standing support for the chair when the chair is in the opened condition.

The base frame includes first and second mounts respectively disposed at terminal ends of the first and second frame members of the rear portion. The first and second frame members of the base frame front portion are rotatably connected to the first and second mounts at a connection location. Each mount has a wall adapted to nestingly receive the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the opened condition. Each mount defines an opening at the connection location to accommodate a terminal end of the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the collapsed condition.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the chair further comprises a back frame rotatably connected to the base frame.

According to another aspect of the invention, a folding chair comprises a seat frame and a back frame rotatably coupled to the seat frame. The seat frame includes front and rear portions. The seat frame front portion includes first and second frame members each defining a front leg of the chair and the seat frame rear portion includes first and second frame members each defining a rear leg of the chair.

The seat frame of the folding chair includes first and second mounts respectively located at terminal ends of the first and second frame members of the seat frame rear portion. The first and second frame members of the seat frame front portion are rotatably coupled to the first and second mounts at a location on the mount for relative movement between opened and collapsed conditions. Each mount includes a wall adapted to nestingly receive the first and second frame members of the seat frame front portion in the opened condition. The wall of each mount defines an opening at the mount location to accommodate a terminal end of the associated frame member of the seat frame front portion in the collapsed condition.

The foregoing and other features of the invention and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying figures. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and the description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show a form of the invention that is presently preferred. However, it should be understood that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a folding chair according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the folding chair shown in an unfolded condition.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side views of the folding chair of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are respectively front and rear views of the folding chair of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively top and bottom views of the folding chair of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the folding chair of FIG. 1, the folding chair shown in a folded condition.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the folding chair of FIG. 1, the folding chair shown in an unfolded condition supporting a cushion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, where like numerals identify like elements, there is illustrated in the figures a folding chair 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The folding chair 10 is shown in FIGS. 1 through 7 in an opened condition and in FIG. 8 in a collapsed condition. The folding chair 10 includes a base (or seat) frame 12 and a back frame 14 pivotably connected to the base frame 12 at locations 16 for permitting relative movement between the base and back frames 12, 14. The base frame 12 of the folding chair 10 includes front and rear portions 18, 20, which are pivotably connected to each other at locations 22 for permitting relative movement between the base frame front and rear portions 18, 20.

The front portion 18 of the base frame 12 includes first and second frame members 24, 26. Each of the frame members 24, 26 of the base frame front portion 18 preferably includes a bend to form a front leg 28 for the folding chair 10 from a part of the frame member. The rear portion 20 of base frame 12 includes first and second frame members 30, 32. Each of the frame members 30, 32 of base frame rear portion 20 also preferably includes a bend to form a rear leg 34 for the folding chair 10 from a part of the frame member. As shown in FIGS. 1 through 7, the frame members 24, 26, 30, 32 of base frame 12 are adapted such that the front and rear legs 28, 34 provide standing support for the folding chair 10 when the chair 10 is in the opened condition. As shown, the bend in the frame members 30, 32 of the base frame rear portion 20 defines an oblique angle between the rear legs 34 and the rest of the frame member. This differs from the substantially right angle defined in the frame members 24, 26 of the base frame front portion 18 between the front leg 28 and the rest of the frame member. This arrangement provides for a stable configuration in the opened condition and also provides certain benefits in the collapsed condition, as described below. It should be understood, however, that the relative angles provided by the bends in the frame members 24, 26, 30, 32 could vary from that depicted in the figures.

The base frame 12 includes front and rear cross members 36, 38 extending between the first and second frame members 24, 26 of the base frame front portion 18, and the first and second frame members 30, 32 of the base frame rear portion 20, respectively. In addition to interconnecting the frame members 24, 26, 30, 32 of base frame 12, the cross members 36, 38 provide reinforcement for a support member, such as cushion 40 (FIG. 9), attacked to the folding chair 10.

The base frame 12 includes first and second mounts 42, 44 for pivotally connecting the front and rear portions 18, 20 of base frame 12 to each other. Referring to FIG. 8, the first and second mounts 42, 44 are respectively disposed at terminal ends of the first and second frame members 30, 32 of the base frame rear portion 20. Preferably, the base frame 12 is made from a metal, such as aluminum, and the mounts 42, 44 are secured to the frame members 30, 32 of the base frame rear portion 20 by welding (brazing) the mounts 42, 44 to the frame members 30, 32. Welding is not a requirement, however, and other means could be used to secure the mounts 42, 44 such as by crimping of adhesively attaching the mounts onto the frame members 30, 32.

Each of the mounts 42, 44 includes a wall 46 extending from the end of one of the frame members 30, 32 of base frame rear portion 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the walls 46 of the mounts 42, 44 are adapted to nestingly receive the first and second frame members 24, 26 of the base frame front portion 18 when the folding chair 10 is in the opened condition. The nested engagement between the front frame members 24, 26 and the walls 46 of the mounts 42, 44 in this manner promotes a stable configuration for the folding chair 10 when the chair is in the opened condition shown in FIGS. 1 through 7. Preferably, the frame members 24, 26 are substantially cylindrical (e.g., round tubes) and the wall 46 of each of the mounts 42, 44 is semi-cylindrical to provide for the desired nesting. The first and second frame members 24, 26 of the base frame front portion 18 are pivotably connected to the first and second mounts 42, 44 at locations 22. Preferably, the folding chair 10 includes pin members 48 received by the mounts 42, 44 and the frame members 24, 26 of the base frame front portion 18 at locations 22 to provide the pivotal connection.

As shown in FIG. 8, the frame members 24, 26 of the base frame front portion 18 are connected to the mounts 42, 44 at a short distance from an end of the frame members 24, 26. As a result, terminal end portions 50 of the frame members 24, 26 extend beyond the locations 22. To accommodate the terminal end portions 50 of frame members 24, 26 when the front and rear portions 18, 20 of the base frame 12 are moved to the collapsed condition, the walls 46 of each one of the mounts 42, 44 includes a notched opening 52 at the location 22. The structural configuration describes above provides a strong interconnection between the front and rear frame portions, while permitting compact collapsing of the frame.

The back frame 14 includes a substantially U-shaped member 54. The back frame 14 also includes brackets 56 secured to the ends of the U-shaped member 54. Preferably, the brackets 56 are secured to the member 54 by welding/brazing the brackets 56. To pivotably connect the back frame member 54 to the base frame 12, pin members 58 are used to attach the brackets 56 to the back frame member 54 at locations 16.

Referring to FIG. 8, the folding chair 10 is shown in the collapsed condition. As described above, the back frame 14 is rotated with respect to the base frame rear portion 20 and the base frame front portion 18 is rotated with respect to the base frame rear portion 20. As shown, these rotations result in the back frame 14 collapsing toward upper surfaces of frame members 30, 32 of the base frame rear portion 20, and the frame members 24, 26 of the base frame front portion 18 collapsing towards the lower surfaces of the frame members 30, 32.

The depicted folding chair 10 described above includes separate mounts 42, 44 that are secured to the frame members 30, 32 of the base frame rear portion 20. It is not a requirement of the invention that the mounts comprise separate members secured to the frame members. It is contemplated, for example, that the mounts could be integrally formed at the end of the frame members 30, 32 of the base frame rear portion 20.

The foregoing describes the invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto. 

1. A folding chair having opened and collapsed conditions, the folding chair comprising: a base frame having front and rear portions rotatably coupled to each other, the front portion including first and second frame members each defining a front leg, the rear portion including first and second frame members each defining a rear leg, the front and rear legs adapted to provide standing support for the chair when the chair is in the opened condition; the base frame including first and second mounts respectively disposed at terminal ends of the first and second frame members of the rear portion, the first and second frame members of the base frame front portion being rotatably connected to the first and second mounts at a connection location, each mount having a wall adapted to nestingly receive a portion of the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the opened condition, each mount including an opening to permit passage of a portion of a terminal end of the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the collapsed condition.
 2. The folding chair according to claim 1, wherein the first and second mounts are secured to the first and second frame members of the rear portion of the base frame.
 3. The folding chair according to claim 2, wherein the securement of the first and second mounts to the first and second frame members of the rear portion of the base frame is by welding.
 4. The folding chair according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second frame members of the front portion of the base frame is substantially cylindrical and wherein the wall of the associated mount that nestingly receives the frame member is substantially semi-cylindrical.
 5. The folding chair according to claim 1 further comprising front and rear cross members respectively extending between the first and second frame members of the front and rear portions of the base frame.
 6. The folding chair according to claim 5, wherein the folding chair is adapted to support a cushion when the chair is in the opened condition, the cushion at least partially supported on the front and rear cross bars of the base frame.
 7. The folding chair according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second frame members of the front portion of the base frame is rotatably connected to the first and second mounts by a pin received by the mount member and the frame member at the connection location.
 8. The folding chair according to claim 1 further comprising a back frame rotatably connected to the base frame.
 9. The folding chair according to claim 8, wherein the back frame is connected to the rear portion of the base frame.
 10. The folding chair according to claim 8, wherein the back frame includes first and second brackets each secured to a member of the back frame adjacent a terminal end of the back frame member, each bracket rotatably connected to the base frame.
 11. The folding chair according to claim 10, wherein each bracket of the back frame is welded to the back frame member.
 12. A folding chair comprising: a seat frame; and a back frame rotatably coupled to the seat frame, the seat frame having front and rear portions, the front portion including first and second frame members each defining a front leg of the chair and the rear portion including first and second frame members each defining a rear leg of the chair, the seat frame including first and second mounts respectively located at terminal ends of the first and second frame members of the rear portion of the seat frame, the first and second frame members of the front portion of the seat frame pivotably connected to the first and second mounts at a location on the mount for permitting relative movement between opened and collapsed conditions, each of the mounts including a wall adapted to nestingly receive a portion of the first and second frame members of the front portion of the seat frame in the opened condition, the wall of each of the mounts including an opening at the mount location to accommodate a terminal end of the associated frame member of the front portion of the seat frame in the collapsed condition. 